Have trouble driving at night? Here's advice on how to see better.

QUESTION: I’m having trouble seeing after sundown and while driving at night. What can I do?

ANSWER from ophthalmologist Dr. Marko Habekovic: You are not alone. Nearly one in three drivers reports having difficulty seeing at night when driving, according to a recent study conducted on behalf of Road & Travel Magazine and Acuvue contact lenses.

The two most common vision problems associated with night driving are caused by cataracts and the under-correction of near-sightedness (myopia) or astigmatism, which may cause distortion of light rays. Cataracts, in which the eye’s lens gradually becomes opaque, usually do not develop until people are in their 50s or 60s. Severe astigmatism can also cause nighttime glare. Less common causes of light distortion include opacities of the cornea, such as those that may occur after an eye infection or trauma to the eye.

Here’s what you can do to see as well as possible when driving at night.

Make sure that your eyes are examined regularly by an opthalmologist and that your eye prescription for glasses and contacts is up-to-date.

Wear a pair of glasses with antireflection coating on the lenses.

Do not wear sunglasses after dusk.

Clean your windshield inside and out.

Make sure your headlights are clean.

Use your high-beams when you can.

Dim your instrument lights to reduce brightness when you look at them.

Adjust your rearview mirror to “night” setting to dim the glare of headlights when cars are behind you.

Keep an extra two car lengths away from the car ahead of you at night.

Don’t drive faster than 65 mph at night, and drive slower than the speed limit on winding roads.

Dr. Marko HabekovicDr. Marko Habekovic is an ophthalmologist with Michigan Medical P.C. in Grand Rapids. Learn more at www.mmpc.com.